Iceland Joins Nordic-Baltic Cybersecurity Consortium to Bolster Regional Defenses

Iceland Strengthens Regional Cyber Defenses

Reykjavik, Iceland – Iceland has formally joined a new Nordic-Baltic cybersecurity consortium (NBCC), marking a significant step in bolstering regional defenses against escalating digital threats. The initiative, which brings together seven nations, aims to foster closer cooperation in monitoring and responding to cyberattacks through shared analytical systems and enhanced cross-border data exchange. The agreement was announced on December 18, 2025.

The consortium's primary objective is to gain a clearer, real-time overview of cyber activity across the region, thereby enhancing situational awareness. This collaborative approach is expected to allow authorities to more effectively identify trends, vulnerabilities, and coordinated attacks that might otherwise go undetected at a national level.

Collaborative Framework and Member Nations

The NBCC comprises seven countries: Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, and Norway. This joint effort is designed to improve each participating nation's access to advanced technical capabilities and critical threat intelligence, resources that would be challenging for individual countries to develop independently.

Lithuania's Vice-Minister of Defense, Tomas Godliauskas, emphasized the necessity of such cooperation, stating, 'Cyber threats do not respect national borders, so closer cooperation between countries in the region is essential. A shared understanding of threats, common technological solutions, and a partnership based on trust are the key to greater resilience across the region.'

Key Objectives and Implementation

The consortium's activities are scheduled for implementation between 2026 and 2029. The project has secured partial funding from the Digital Europe Programme, with a total budget estimated at approximately 14 million euros. The operational base for the consortium will be located in Copenhagen, with coordination efforts led by the Danish Resilience Agency.

Key objectives of the NBCC include:

• Establishing a regional data-sharing platform to facilitate the exchange of information on detected cyber threats.
• Expanding the team of analysts dedicated to regional threat analysis and the development of joint analytical products.
• Developing and integrating advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence-based solutions, to enhance cyber defense capabilities.
• Strengthening cooperation among public sector entities, businesses, and scientific institutions across the member states.

NCSC Director Antanas Aleknavicius highlighted the mutual benefits, noting, 'By participating in the NBCC project, Lithuania will... also strengthen its cyber resilience by having access to more detailed data on the most significant cyber threats in the Baltic and Nordic regions.'

Broader Context of Iceland's Cyber Strategy

Iceland's decision to join this regional effort aligns with its broader national cybersecurity strategy. The country's National Cybersecurity Strategy 2022–2037 underscores the importance of international cooperation in safeguarding critical infrastructure, government services, and private-sector systems in an increasingly digital world. This move reflects a proactive stance by Iceland to enhance its cyber resilience and contribute to collective security in the face of evolving global cyber threats.